Spring-loaded closure unit for collapsible containers such as tubes and bottles



Jan. 3, 1967 A. EGLI 3,295,729

SPRING-LOADED CLOSURE UNIT FOR COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINERS SUCH AS TUBES AND BOTTLES Filed July 23, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR A Lois EeLi ATTORNEYS Jan. 3, 1967 A. EGLJ 3,295,729

SPRING-LOADED CLOSURE UNIT FOR GOLLAPSIBLE CONTAINERS SUCH AS TUBES AND BOTTLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 25, 1965 INVENTOR ALOifi EGL':

BY jq q ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,295,729 SPRING-LOADED CLOSURE UNIT FOR COL- LAPSIBLE CONTAINERS SUCH AS TUBES AND BOTTLES Alois Egli, Sonnenbuehl, Rufi, Switzerland Filed July 23, 1965, Ser. No. 474,250 3 Claims. (Cl. 222-497) My present invention relates to a closure unit for containers, in particular for tubes and 'bottles. It has re peatedly been proposed before, for example in the case of collapsible tubes, to eliminate the necessity for urr screwing the closure cap and substitute therefor a mere rotary readjustment thereof. The disadvantages of such an arrangement were quite pronounced, and the completely unscrewable closure caps thus remained prevailing not withstanding the loss of time and the risk of becoming lost connected therewith.

The present closure unit for containers and the like is distinguished by the fact that a spring means is fixedly disposed between the container neck and a closure element rotatable thereon, said spring comprising a vertically directed end-leg carrying a valve body that is adapted to be sealingly and resiliently forced against a discharge opening in said closure element.

A plurality of forms of my invention are shown in the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a first form in axial section,

FIG. 2 depicts a partial cross-section on the line 11-11 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows a second form in axial section,

FIG. 4 a partial cross-section on the line IV-IV of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 depicts a third form in axial section,

FIG. 6 is a cross-section on the line VIVI in FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 shows a fourth form in axial section, and

FIG. 8 a cross-section thereof on the line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7.

In the first form (FIGS. 1 and 2) a cap 3 is screwably mounted on the neck 1 of a collapsible tube 2 made of plastic. Cap 3 is provided with an inwardly tapering dis charge opening 4 that is closable by a valve ball 5 when cap 3 is tightened. Between the end-face 1 of neck 1 and an interior shoulder 6 on the interior wall of the cap is provided an annular groove 6 in which is inserted a spring 7 in the manner of a retaining ring. The latter comprises an intermediate vertically resilient leg portion 7 pointing radially inwards and which terminates in an end-leg 7" that is bent towards the discharge opening 4. The end-face of end-leg 7 supports valve ball 5. Spring 7 and valve ball 5 form the closure element proper. Spring 7 is open, and the ring portion thereof is given an expansively acting tension on being compressed or con stricted, while the intermediate leg 7' after being located in the position shown is given a vertical tension directed at right angles to the first tension.

When screwing-down the cap 3, the annular groove 6- is narrowed and spring 7 is clamped fast and thus positively located between the end-face 1' of neck 1 and the interior shoulder 6. In this state, i.e., when spring 7 is firmly seated, the upwardly acting vertical tension adherent to the exposed intermediate leg 7' pushes through end-leg 7" the valve ball 5 into the discharge opening 4 and seals same.

By squeezing the collapsible tube or container, the contents thereof press outwardly over valve ball 5 and through discharge opening 4 as soon as the pressure in the tube exceeds the tension of spring-s 7 and its appurtenant intermediate leg 7'. As soon as the pressure on the tube ceases, the interior pressure disappears, and spring 7 and valve ball 5 again assume their closing task.

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In the second example as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, cap 3 in the interior shoulder 6 is provided with a sealing sleeve 9 disposed concentrically with the cap and spaced from the inside of the latter. Between sleeve 9 and the inside of cap 3 is situated a deep annular space 11 into which neck 1 projects from below. Sleeve 9 is tapered downwardly to facilitate the introduction of neck 1 and to render same somewhat more elastic. Spring 7 is formed as in the first example. The radially inwards directed intermediate leg 7' passes through a slot 10 in sleeve 9. The inside 8 of cap 3 and the outside of sleeve 9 extend conically and are urged against the outside and the inside of neck 1 when cap 3 is tightened down. When cap 3 is tightened, spring 7 is located in annular space 11 between shoulder 6 and the end-face 1, and intermediate leg 7 that is vertically resilient, again presses valve ball 5 into discharge opening 4 to close same. When screwing back the cap 3 for some slight distance, say A; of an inch or so, discharge opening 4 raises from valve ball 5, and the tension of spring 5 and of intermediate leg 7' drops on account of the play received, so that on squeezing the tube or container the interior pressure acting on the contents thereof becomes immediately greater than the tension proper of spring 7 and of leg 7, and the contents can emerge over valve ball 5 through discharge opening 4.

Since 7 together with the legs 7', 7" and valve ball 5 form a unit which simplifies and facilitates assembly and insertion, and no parts can become lost when removing the closure cap 3.

In the third example according to FIGS. 5 and 6, spring 7 has the form of an elongated ring of which the ends are situated in the longitudinal center of the ring. One end of said ring of spring 12 comprises an upwardly angled extension 12 which carries the valve ball 5. The closure cap 3, of an exterior shape known per se, comprises inside an annular groove 6 for the mounting of spring 12. The latter through its valve ball 5 closes the inwards conically enlarging discharge opening 4. The spring 12 that is positively seated in annular groove 6', prevents it from dropping out of the closure cap when taking off same. The handling and mode of operation in this form of the invention are similar to those of the first two examples. The spring and the valve ball may be made of plastic or of steel coated with plastic.

In the third example as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a leaf spring 13 serves as fitting spring, and its ends are engaged in an annular groove 6' of the interior wall of cap 3. The leaf spring carries in the center a bar 13 standing at rig-ht angles thereto, with the valve ball 5. In the closure position of cap 3 the mouth edge of the tube or bottle neck 1 protrudes into annular groove 6 and exerts a pressure against the two leaf-spring ends where'by ball 5 is firmly pressed against the valve seat of discharge opening 4. By screwing-back cap 3 by /s of an inch or so, valve ball 5 will be relieved so that through pressure against the elastic container 1, the contents thereof are discharged through the opening. Sealing rings or gaskets 14 inserted in a special annular groove 15 in the interior wall of cap 3 insure a good seal on the way to the threads 16 of cap 3. Annular groove 15 is spaced from annular groove 6'.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to a now preferred example and embodiment of the invention it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a spring-loaded closure unit for callapsible containers such as tubes and bottles, having a valve body and a cap with a discharge opening adapted to receive a part of said valve body for automatically sealing upon the cessation of the extruding pressure, the improvement comprising in combination: a spring ring provided With a resilient leg extending radially inwardly and a vertically directed end-leg at the inner end of the resilient leg and positioned in the center of said spring ring and carrying said valve body, and a recess within the cap which together with the end-face of the container neck constitutes an annular groove adapted to clamp said spring ring upon tightening said cap.

2. A spring-loaded closure unit as in claim 1, wherein said recess is formed 'by an interior shoulder on said cap.

3. A spring-loaded closure unit as in claim 1, wherein said recess is formed by a sealing sleeve provided on said cap and being engaged in the container neck, said sealing sleeve having a slit through which the resilient leg of said spring ring is radially passed inwardly.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

D. F. NORTON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A SPRING-LOADED CLOSURE UNIT FOR CALLAPSIBLE CONTAINERS SUCH AS TUBES AND BOTTLES, HAVING A VALVE BODY AND A CAP WITH A DISCHARGE OPENING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A PART OF SAID VALVE BODY FOR AUTOMATICALLY SEALING UPON THE CESSATION OF THE EXTRUDING PRESSURE, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A SPRING RING PROVIDED WITH A RESILIENT LEG EXTENDING RADIALLY INWARDLY AND A VERTICALLY DIRECTED END-LEG AT THE INNER END OF THE RESILIENT LEG AND POSITIONED IN THE CENTER OF SAID SPRING RING AND CARRYING SAID VALVE BODY, AND A RECESS WITHIN THE CAP WHICH TOGETHER WITH THE END-FACE OF THE CONTAINER NECK CONSTITUTES AN ANNULAR GROOVE ADAPTED TO CLAMP SAID SPRING RING UPON TIGHTENING SAID CAP. 